


Her Muse

by just_makeing_it_gay_97



Series: Jackson [2]
Category: The Last of Us
Genre: Art, Domestic, F/F, Muses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:14:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24902137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/just_makeing_it_gay_97/pseuds/just_makeing_it_gay_97
Summary: Ellie draws a lot, mostly Joel or Shimmer, that all changes when she meets her; Dina Woodward.future Ellie/Dina, Past Riley/Ellie, Kat/EllieSet in Jackson, before tLoU2
Relationships: Dina/Ellie (The Last of Us), Ellie/Kat (The Last of Us), Ellie/Riley (The Last of Us)
Series: Jackson [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1801531
Comments: 4
Kudos: 143





	Her Muse

**Author's Note:**

> I guess this is a drabble? The thought wouldn't leave me alone, so hopefully someone likes it. Lemme know what you think!

While being kept at the boarding school Ellie had to find her own visces. Riley was always the popular one, making friends with every and anyone, but Ellie always came off as too brass for most people.

She found herself alone a lot of the time, but that was fine. She enjoyed herself more when she had time to her own thoughts.

So her hobby? Drawing, she loved it. Real life, still life, worlds of her own imagination, everything. But recently she'd found a new muse.

Long story short? People, they fascinated her. Ellie found herself sitting in the dining hall, doodling teachers, soldiers, people. Her most common model, as unaware as she may have been, was her best friend, Riley.

It was so horrifying for her when Riley found the art, which was 'safely' hidden under her bunk bed. She came back to find her stat on the floor, looking at her papers scattered on the floor.

Ellie blushed red.

"Shit! Oh my god, look- I can- I can explain-"

"Ellie-"

"I just, you're so pretty! And nice, and I just-"

Riley stood and covered Ellie's mouth with her hand, grinning large and excited.

"Dude! These are amazing! I'm so proud of you!"

The blush got impossibly larger.

* * *

The next time someone commented on it was actually Sam. She was drawing on a scrap of paper, doodling really, while Joel and Henry searched a house.

"Hey, you're really good at that."

He was rubbing the back of his head, and she gave him a shy grin.

"Ah, thanks. Check it!"

She held up the paper, and he snorted at the image of herself and Sam, wearing badass clothes with massive guns shooting hundreds of infected. It was a quick drawing, but already looked awesome.

"Oh my god, we gotta show Henry and Joel this."

She snorted and shook her head.

"Nah, he'll think it's silly. Here, keep it."

She passed him the paper, he took it.

"You sure?"

"Of course! It's nice to see you laugh, Sam. Do it more often."

She hit him with the finger guns as she stepped away.

* * *

When they got to Jackson, her art became somewhat more depressing. She found herself drawing Joel, his angry eyes and furrowed brow, Sam and Henry in their last moment, even Tess and Riley.

That's when Joel decided she needed a more uplifting hobby, and she learned to play guitar.

Her art was focused on the music and the way she felt, blood becoming colour and happiness again.

She started to write too, her own songs coming to her in dreams and nightmares.

Joel said she should play them, teach them to people. She never wanted to, they were personal, and never wanted to show anyone.

That's when she saw  _ her. _

Dina Woodward.

Her smile lit up the room, her energy was so alive and happy. She made every day brighter, and every person better with her influence.

Ellie was fascinated.

Her art was Dina, her portraits, her paintings, even her songs. She never told her, worried she'd look like a serial killer.

Which technically she was, but hunters and cannibals don't count.

Low and behold, the day came Dina discovered her drawings. She'd come into her house, but with her headphones on Ellie had no idea she was there. The other girl watched over her shoulder as Ellie sketched her eyes, apparently from memory.

Grinning ear to ear, Dina removed the headphones, giving Ellie a near heart attack.

"Holy shit!"

"That's what I was gonna say, dude you're so good, the fuck?!"

"I- I can't explain-"

"Explain how talented you are?"

She grabbed Ellie's shoulders and shook her slightly.

"Ellie, you're amazing! I'm honoured you've chosen to draw me, well, me and Shimmer."

Ellie grinned and rubbed the back of her hair.

"Shit, erm. You're really pretty, you know? Sorry, I know it's weird-"

"Stop saying that! Oo, draw me, I'll model!"

And that's how, in a weird series of events, Ellie found herself drawing Dina on a weekly basis, the other girl actually modelling for her. Dina's siblings the art, and Ellie even painted them all for a Christmas present.

Realising they didn't celebrate it made her almost have an aneurysm of embarrassment, but they loved it nonetheless. It hung up in their home.

Ellie felt proud whenever she saw it.

A year later, Jesse and Dina started dating. Ellie felt awkward, Jesse was her friend and she had a crush on his girlfriend, on  _ her _ best friend!

_ Don't ruin your friendships… don't ruin your friendships! _

The music became sadder, the art more stressful. She drew the infected, detailing them from her own experiences. Posters were made of them for training new scouts, and she felt proud again.

Joel was worried, and he tried to talk to her. Admitting she had a crush on her friend was scary enough, coming out to Joel?

Horrifying thought.

She never did come out to him, but in June that year, he presented her with a rainbow pin for her bag. They never talked about it, but she was happy again.

* * *

This is when she met her next muse: Kat.

She never saw this one coming, she was tired when they first met, and Ellie found herself wondering why she'd never seen her before. She was lovely, had a nice smile and a good sense of humour.

She was an artist too, and while she didn't get Ellie's style, was somewhat critical, but helped Ellie express herself.

She modelled for her one night, and that's the night Ellie lost her virginity. It was intense, scary,  _ fun. _

Her art changed again, imitating Kat's style, more open and daring.

She still found herself itching to draw Dina, and less frequently than before, she did.

* * *

Now she finds herself sitting in bed after the church dance, her lips buzzing and her head racing.

_ What did it mean? It must've been a joke, Dina is a flirt. _

She was at her desk, drawing again. For the first time she included herself, the two of them dancing in the light.

Ellie was proud, happy. Whether or not it meant anything to Dina was another story, but to Ellie?

Well, Dina brought her muse back.

She slept that night, grin across her mouth and thoughts of her muse on her mind.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
